


Face Cards

by infidi



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/M, Girl Meets Legacy, but better plot progression then the god damn show am i right?, slight angst, this is how i believe the episode should have ended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-24 20:49:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6166447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infidi/pseuds/infidi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What's the saying lucky at cards, but unlucky in love?<br/>Maya Hart just happens to suck at both.</p><p>This might not be the Legacy conclusion we need, but it's the one we deserve.<br/>A Maya-centric view as she makes a decision, in two parts: Josh. then Lucas & Riley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Josh

**Author's Note:**

> legacy. god, what a mess. is the show called "girl meets boy meets other girl and now the show is about whether or not they get together?" because for real, i just want the relationships to be established so we can move on to more meaningful stories without compromising the integrity or importance of the topics being discussed by the triviality of pointless love triangles.
> 
> ugh. ugh.
> 
> so yeah, here is this.
> 
> \--

            Maya Hart was never good at poker. It wasn’t that she was bad at bluffing; she knew how to hustle at pool before she knew how to do long division. In fact, she was still fuzzy on the whole long division situation but that was a different case. The facts were that she sucked at poker because she always bet too big. She’d get cocky and bet her whole hand hoping that something good would come along and she’d win big at first, but in the end she’d end up losing to a face card.

            Her face card? Lucas Friar.

 

            “I can’t believe my baby graduated middle school,” her mom says. Maya isn’t used to being fussed over and forces a smile.

            She looks over to see Riley squeezing together with the rest of her family for a photo. Her Aunt Morgan trying to explain the logistics of a selfie-stick to her Uncle Eric was in itself a work of art.

            “Mom, I’m just going to walk around and say some good-byes, can I meet you at home?”

            Her mother looks a little put off, but ever the Hart way she smiles back patting her daughters face and nods.

            “Of course, I’ll just go make sure everything is ready for the party later tonight.”

            “Thanks.”

            She should feel bad, pushing her mom away especially after working so hard to get her here at this point… but recently Maya Hart had made a decision and if she was going to be brave, really brave then she couldn’t go crying to her mommy when things got hard.

            The noise had died down in the auditorium, streamers littering the floor as Maya reached down to unbuckled her heels. As much as she enjoyed the brief time viewing the world from a normal height she realized it was time to return to Shortville, population: her. She saw a small mass of cowboy hats in the distance and quickly rounded a corner running right into a familiar face.

            “Where are you off to in such a hurry?” Josh says beaming down at her. His smile is infection and as refreshing as ever.

            “Just meeting some friends in our old classroom to say goodbye.” Maya replies keeping her eyes down not wanting to get sucked into the gravitational pull that was Joshua Matthews.

            “Want some company Miss Graduate?” he jokes. She nods as they begin to walk out of the auditorium.

            "Graduate? You’re one to talk,” she scoffs, “You just graduated from high school, while I get a four year death sentence. Tell me it flies by.”

            “Not a chance,” he laughs, “but you’re gonna love it.”

            “That’s what everyone keeps saying, but I don’t know. It’s all going to change now.”

            “Yeah, but for the better. Trust me, plus I’m going to college now…” he trails off.

            “You’ll be fine. Like you said, it’s for the better!”

            Josh reaches down for her hand and squeezes it, reassuring her but all it really does it make her heart pound faster. She feels it beating in her face as she smiles back. He grins at her, pointing down at her toes with a knowing look.

            “How about I give you a ride, for old times sake. Make the transition a little easier?”

            “You Matthews, always helping a Hart in need.”

            “We should really invest in a business card or something.” he jokes, his eyes shining. He crouches down as Maya gathers the tulle of her dress up a bit and gives a little jump to perch on his back.

            Maya wraps her arms around his neck, leaning gently against his head. He begins to talk about the classes he’s signed up for at NYU as they roam the halls and she remembers why she fell in love with Josh in the first place: because it was easy, effortless. How could someone not love him? He’s kind and sweet but also sarcastic and sharp witted. He was someone who could keep up with the kind of dark humor and constant chaos that ensues in her own life. Yet the more she thought about it she realized that while she did love Josh, but she wasn’t _in love_ with him. This only further fueled the ultimatum she had given herself earlier that day.

            “This it?” Josh whispers nudging her softly.

            Maya pulls herself from her thoughts long enough to mutter a reply before sliding off his back. He turns to leave, but she grabs his arm.

            “Thank you, Josh,” she says, “For everything really, you’re a good friend.”

            As if sensing something more Josh moves to hug her. At one point this was all she ever wanted: to be held by him and to feel loved, but she’s grown since then and realized that the first step in that direction is learning to love yourself.

            “I’m always here for you Maya, whatever you need. Okay?” he replies. He waits a moment before dropping a quick kiss on the top of her head and pulls away heading towards the door on the far side of the hall.

            Maya watches him leave before taking a deep breath and turning towards the history classroom. She knows she’s early, but what else can she do. She’s already bet her hand, now all she can do is hope and wait for something good to come along ,but let’s face it. This is Maya Hart and she always loses.

            Stupid face cards.

           


	2. Lucas & Riley

            She ends up sitting in her old seat. As someone who is used to be alone she never really felt that way, mostly because of her friends. She could always turn to Riley if something with her mom upset her or to Zay and Farkle when she was stuck on a math problem but this.. this was something she needs to deal with on her own.

            “Maya?” Riley asks as she peaks into the classroom.

Maya breaks out of her thoughts as she turns to see her friend. Riley is all smiles and soft lavender tulle as she opens the door all the way to reveal Lucas standing behind her.

            “Is everything okay?” he says pausing in the door way as Riley pushes through towards her usual seat.

            “Yeah,” Maya forces out, “Everything is fine, I just wanted to talk to you guys about something.”

            “Of course Maya!” Riley coos as she sits down.

            “It’s about us.”

            “Well actually I think I left the oven on at home,” Riley begins again trying to stand up.

Maya lets out a dry laugh grabbing onto her friends wrist and pulling her back down into her seat. She turns to Lucas who just throws his hands up in surrender, turning to shut the door before walking to his seat.

            “This is the last time we’ll be in this room, together… like this,” Maya says turning to look at them, “We don’t even know if we’ll have any classes together next year. I’m not going to lie and say I am not worried about drifting apart because to be honest I’m terrified. I’m not like you two, people don’t always see the best in me…”

            “Maya-“

            “Please Riley, just let me get this out.”

Riley bites her lip and although conflicted lets her friend continue on.

            “And I know we’ll make new friends and we’ll grow and all that other stuff that Matthew says in between my naps during his class that I can’t quite remember but I guess the point I’m trying to make about the three of us is that we can’t keep standing still and expecting to go somewhere different. Like when Marco Polo would only sail a certain way because he was sure he was going to fall off the earth but then he never did, you know?”

            “Marco Polo?” Lucas says slowly, losing the metaphor.

            “Maya, what are you trying say?” Riley whispers quietly, “Just tell us.”

 

            “Lucas, you should pick Riley.”

It’s quiet for a moment, shared glances between opposite parties and confused expressions. Maya looks over to see Riley studying the edge of her dress very seriously. Lucas looks more lost than ever, an edge of hurt beneath the vibrato of his voice when he speaks next.

            “Does this mean you no longer…” he trails off unsure.

            “No.”

            “Then this doesn’t change anything, you can’t just tell me who to date,” Lucas says again, an edge to his tone, “You can’t just toss Riley in my lap again because you don’t want to deal with your feelings.”

Riley flinches as Lucas’ words, taking them the wrong way as her face pinches up. Maya frustrated runs a hand through her hair. She tries to find the right way to explain that she isn’t making a sacrifice but doing the right thing, the right thing for everyone. When you care about someone, really truly love someone then you put their happiness before your own. 

            “Lucas, you and Riley are the two people I care most about in this world and you just happen to care about each other in that same way too,” she says suddenly quiet, “do you know how rare that is? To find someone who understands you and cares about you? That kind of friendship… that kind of love, it deserves a chance.”

            “And what about you,” Riley asks, her voice higher and rough with emotion, “What about your chance Maya?”

            “This isn’t my chance Riley, not yet.”

            “Maya this doesn’t make any sense-“

Maya stands up, the sound of her chair scrapping against the linoleum floors harsh and unkind silencing Lucas’ plea. She turns and doesn’t have to force the sappy smile that splits her face when she sees their faces. They care so much about her, so why couldn't they see how much she cared for them?

            “I’m removing myself from the equation. I am more than just an angle on this triangle. I need to care for myself before I can even think about caring for anyone else,” she says, “so that leaves the two of you, with no more obstacles. No more excuses.”

            Maya picks up her heels from her desk and moves towards the door, turning back to see her two best friends sitting in stunned silence.

            “You take good care of her Ranger Rick, cause I’m not afraid to fight a cowboy,” she warns with a good-natured wink.

            She turns and is almost out the door when she heads Riley choke out, “What are we supposed to do now?”

            “Whatever you want because it doesn’t concern me anymore. I’m now just a unbiased objective third party.” she jokes. “Whatever happens it won’t affect me either way. Date or don't date. I don't care.”

            Lucas looks up at her, his eyes a little critical as he tells her, “You’re terrible at bluffing.”

            Maya gives him a tight-lipped smile and a tip of her own fake cowboy hat before turning and walking out the door shutting it behind her. She makes it always the way down the hallway before she realizes she’s crying. Laughing softly she wipes at her face replaying Lucas’s last words as she walks towards the exit sign, saying her final goodbye to this chapter of her life.

            Perhaps she was terrible at bluffing, but right now all that mattered was Riley and Lucas just got dealt a perfect hand.

            And all she had to do was fold.

            Which is a difficult things to do when you’re holding onto face cards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i over kill with the poker/face cards metaphor? maybe. 
> 
> ugh sorry for typos there is no beta, just me at 1am dying. basically i don't even know if this is what i want or what i need but all I know is that this stupid triangle needs to stop and that maya deserves better. they all do and who even knows if riley/lucas will even work out? they could be terrible as a couple and then lucas and riley would be like "yeah this is the worst, lets just be friends" or not idk
> 
> why do i even write?


End file.
